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Mar 02, 2021Shuken_1989 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
"1917" is a film directed by British director Sam Mendes and based on the recollections of his paternal grandfather Alfred Hubert Mendes recollections and short stories. The movie is an dramatic take on Operation Alberich when the German line was strategically withdrawn leading to the British Army as misinterpreting the retreat as a full withdrawal. This leads to the British units in the area advancing into a trap laid by the Germans. This is where Mendes's two main characters lance corporals Schofield and Blake enter the story. Tasked with delivering an order for units in the area to stand down and not pursue the Germans. The drama comes from the fact that Schofield and Blake have less than 24 hours to deliver the message and prevent their cohorts from stepping into a ambush. The film follows Schofield and Blake as they make their way across the French countryside. The film is ultimately low on action but high on drama, the film is a traditional war film but it eschews the violent set piece battles for the higher emotional drama of Schofield and Blake. Aside from the drama, the film does a great job capturing the zeitgeist and anxiety of the war, the emotional investment of the main characters in one another and their mission. The uniforms and sets are also spot on. I highly recommend this film.